Automotive OE supplier, Schaeffler, has received the Golden Steering Wheel award for its 2-in-1 electric axle system. Offered by German car magazine “AUTO BILD” and national newspaper “BILD am SONNTAG,” the award is one of Europe’s most coveted automotive industry prizes. 

Schaeffler’s integrated axle system went up against a quality line-up of competitors to secure a majority of readers’ votes and the final jury decision and come out on top in the Innovation of the Year category. 

The Schaeffler 2-in-one axle is an integrated system comprising a reduction gear and electric motor in a single compact unit. Its stand-out features include extremely high power density and exceptional acoustic performance. Thanks to its modular design, the system can accommodate a wide range of customer requirements and is suitable for several vehicle platforms, whether hybrid or fully electric. Following its launch in the Chinese market this year, this electric axle system is now also about to be deployed by a European vehicle manufacturer. Schaeffler is constantly making its electric axle systems more integrated, delivering added scope for highly innovative solutions. For example, last year the company won several orders for complete 3-in-1 electric axles – systems that comprise power electronics as well as the electric motor and transmission.

Schaeffler’s E-Mobility business division is at the forefront of the company’s initiatives to drive the electro mobility transformation forward. Set up in 2018, the division has already secured volume production orders across all levels of electrification, for both passenger cars and commercial vehicles. Schaeffler anticipates that its E-Mobility business division will generate between 2 to 3 billion euros of new business annually from 2022 on. “I am very proud of my staff and would like to thank each and every one of them,” said Dr. Jochen Schröder, Schaeffler’s head of the business division E-Mobility. “Our electro mobility teams work with great passion and commitment to develop highly innovative solutions for tomorrow’s mobility – solutions that feature high levels of vertical integration, modularity and scalability. What sets us apart is our commitment to quality, our understanding of complex systems, and our superior expertise in production systems and technology. This means we are able to transition innovations into series production rapidly and cost-effectively while catering to individual customer requirements.”